Last Wednesday, the Education Reform Commission created by Gov. Cuomo last spring presented the Governor with its preliminary action plan at a meeting of the governor’s cabinet.

The 92-page action plan is intended to guide policymakers in taking “the first steps” toward dealing with “the complex legal, financial, and structural issues that impede our system, our educators, and our students from achieving their full potential.”

The Commission’s preliminary plan calls for:

– full-day prekindergarten for all students in school districts with the highest needs;

– school-based community services to improve student achievement;

– a restructured school day and school year to create more learning time for students;

– improved use of technology through “innovation zones” in which schools invest in “transformative technology”;

– better bridges from high school to college and careers, in which high schools offer more classes for college credit, and career and technical education programs in every region of the state;

– increased access to educational opportunity by encouraging school districts to consolidate and to create regional high schools; and

– a system to better manage school performance and use of resources.

Some of the commission’s recommendations are likely to be included in the Governor’s State of the State address on Jan. 9.